Hand tool for wrapping helical tubing



y 1952 D. v. BENFER ETAL 3,032,959

HAND TOOL FOR WRAPPING HELICAL TUBING Filed March 5, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS ROBERT B. GARDNER DAVID V. BENFER Mm May 8, 1962 D. v. BENFER ETAL 3,032,959

HAND TOOL FOR WRAPPING HELICAL TUBING Filed March 5, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS, DAVID BENFER AND Roazm- B. GARQNER United States atent 3 032 959 HAND TOOL FOR wRAPiuNG HELICAL TUBING David V. Benfer, Marysville, and Robert B. Gardner,

Harrisburg, Pa., assignors to AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa.

Filed Mar. 5, 1959, Ser. No. 797,537 2 Claims. (Cl. 57-10) This invention concerns a hand tool for wrapping helically split tubing around wires, hose, electrical harnesses, pipes and similar objects. It is an object of this invention to provide such a tool that is light and easy to manage while capable of quickly wrapping such item.

Other objects and attainments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which there is shown and described an illustrative embodiment of the invention; it is to be understood, however, that this embodiment is not intended to be exhaustive nor limiting of the invention but is given for purposes of illustration in order that others skilled in the art may fully understand the invention and the principles thereof and the manner of applying it in practical use so that they may modify it in various forms, each as may be best suited to the conditions of a particular use.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a device embodying principles of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side view of the device shown in FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along plane 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view, partially cut away, taken along plane 44 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view of the housing for feeding tubing as shown in FIGURE 2.

The device is illustrated in connection with applying helically split tubing of the type set forth in the patent application to William Wolfson, Serial Number 565,651, filed February 15, 1956, around a bundle of electrical wires but as suggested above it is equally applicable to other objects.

As shown in the drawings (FIGURE 3) the device is comprised of a wheel-like member designed to give the operator a decent purchase on the device. The member 10 does not form a complete circle but rather has a small are cut out to form an opening 12 and thus permit the insertion of an object such as a bundle of wires W.

The preferred form includes three spokes secured to the wheel. Spokes 14 and 16 extend inwardly parallel to each other. The third spoke 18 extends radially inwardly from the wheel 10 opposite the opening 12 between and parallel to spokes 14 and 16. A U-shaped bracket 20 is secured to the spokes 14, '16, 18' by off-set legs 22. The plane of the bracket 20 is parallel to the plane of the wheel 10 and the opening of the U-shaped bracket is aligned with the opening :12 in the wheel 10.

A base member comprised of a bar 24 (FIGURE 2) extends from the bracket 20 in such a manner as to form a continuation of the leg 22 which is secured to the spoke 18. A housing member 26 is secured to the free end of the bar 24.

The housing member 26 is comprised of a block 28 with a central aperture 30. Surrounding the aperture 30 is a rotatable bearing 32 with a material support bracket 34 mounted thereon. A plurality of arms 36 are disposed on the bracket 34 to retain a supply of wrapping material 38 contained in a carton 40. Thus the arms, carton, wrapping material, etc. all rotate together.

Also secured to the housing 26 is a conically-shaped bearing means comprised of a pin 42 disposed concentrical ly with the aperture 30. The pin 42 rotates in a raceway (shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 5) and projects from an arm 44 of the housing 26 and the point of the pin is directed toward the aperture 30. As seen in FIGURE 1, the block 28, arm 44 and the connecting strap present a U-shaped appearance and the bearing 42 is disposed on one leg of the U and the aperture 30 on the opposed leg. A pair of guide shoulders 45 extend from the housing 26 to guide the wires W.

Extending between the arm 44 and the bracket 20 is a bar 46. The bar has a pair of appended straps 48 and 50 which have snaps 52 and 54 adapted to engage a pair of mating snaps 56 and 58 respectively positioned on the upper edge of the bar 46.

Operation The device is placed on a bundle of wires so that the bracket 20 and the legs '14, 16 and guide shoulders 45 straddle the bundle. The straps 48 and 50 are wrapped around the bundle and snapped in place to retain the bundle therein. It is noted that these straps are arranged on the bias when gripping the wire to reduce frictional engagement with the bundle.

The wrapping material is fed out of the container, through the aperture 30, and onto the rotatable pin 4'2. It is led off one side of the pin in tape form, across one edge of the arm 44 and wrapped around the bundle of wires. The pin 42 functions to uncurl the material in preparation for its being wrapped around the bundle.

Once having made these preliminary preparations, the handle 20 is rotated in a clockwise direction (as shown by the arrow in FIGURE 1) and pulled in a direction away from the wrapped portion of the wire. This causes the material to be payed out. As the material is payed out and pulled off one side of the pin a torque is transmitted back through the tubing to the remainder of the supply. This imparts a spin to the container thus preventing tangling and permitting continuous feed of the material.

Thus a compact, light tool is provided for wrapping this type of material.

Changes in construction will occur to those skilled in the art and various apparently difierent modifications and embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only. The actual scope of the invention is intended to be defined in the following claims when viewed in their proper perspective against the prior art.

We claim:

1. A device of the character described for wrapping spiral, plastic tubing around a bundle of wires or similar objects including a base member, means for securing the base member parallel to the objects to be wrapped, a wheel secured to one end of the base member disposed concentrically to the objects to be wrapped, a U-shaped housing member secured to the other end of the base member, so that one leg of the U extends from the base member, a bearing means on the inside surface of the U-shaped member, an aperture on the opposed surface, and rotatable material retaining means secured to the U-shaped member.

2. The device, of claim 1 wherein the bearing means is conically shaped with the apex of the cone pointing concentric with the opposed aperture.

Stover Oct. 30, 1945 Schlesselman et al Feb. 6, 1956 

